Chamber Music

It's Manchester, 1998, and the funeral party is interrupted by a woman from Bane's past. Róisín is back in Manchester and back in Bane's life after an eight-year absence -- inconvenient for Jan, his latest flame. Róisín has brought a wounded boyfriend with her -- and a lot more trouble is following them up north.

Meanwhile, a Yardie who goes by the name of 'Hagfish' wants to take over the local ganglords' territory with Mary, his terrifying weapon of choice. It's Hagfish against Bane in a new turf war: a war that will claim lives and cement vendettas. Bane tries to honour loyalties, old and new, but this quickly leads to more bloodshed, and a full-blown gang war reignites. It's a conflict steeped in half-forgotten history: a history that Bane and his onetime lover, Róisín, are forever tied to -- and which ties them together.

With Chamber Music, Tom Benn has written an electrifying noir novel about lost loves, stolen drugs and dragons -- a street soundtrack to Manchester's underworld, where anyone could have a gun with a bullet for Bane in the chamber.